Catholics Plan For Pope To Meet President

MIAMI -- Catholic leaders in South Florida have been told to prepare for President Reagan to greet Pope John Paul II when he arrives here for a U.S. tour in September.

``We have been instructed to prepare contingency plans for such a meeting. I believe there is a good chance for the president to come,`` said Monsignor Jude O`Doherty, who is in charge of planning for the visit.

The instructions for the possible presidential meeting came from the United States Catholic Conference, which is making overall arrangements for the eight-city tour.

A spokesman for the conference said the meeting between Reagan and the pope in Miami is not certain but possible. Planners thought preparation for such a meeting should be done now.

The pope`s Miami plans, which include a parade down Biscayne Boulevard and a mass for 300,000 people at Tamiami Park, tentatively have been set since October. O`Doherty has had to scramble to pencil-in time for a presidential meeting.

Vice President George Bush was originally scheduled to greet the pontiff here.

In the contingency plans, Reagan is scheduled to meet the pontiff the first day of his U.S. visit, on Sept. 10. The meeting could take place at Miami International Airport to minimize security problems and the massive traffic jams, which would result from moving both Reagan`s and the pontiff`s entourages during rush hour.

The possibility of a meeting between John Paul II and Reagan has increased excitement surrounding the pontiff`s visit, said O`Doherty. Both leaders are extremely popular in the Archdiocese of Miami, which includes 1.1 million Catholics and voted overwhelmingly for Reagan in 1984.

It would be in keeping with international protocol for Reagan to greet the pope, said George Lezcano, spokesman for the archdiocese.

President Jimmy Carter greeted the pope on his arrival in Washington for the last stop of his tour in 1979.

The pontiff will stop in Miami for 22 hours, then travel to Columbia, S.C., New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit.